


Forever

by Mister_Rat



Category: Courage the Cowardly Dog, Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: Amnesia, Courage is a Kitsune, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossover, Partially Follows Canon of Mystery Skulls Animated, Possession, Post-Courage the Cowardly Dog, Separated Lovers, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:27:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28573752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mister_Rat/pseuds/Mister_Rat
Summary: Courage has some rediscovering and soul-searching to do after Muriel and Eustace’s passing. Misfortune’s not done with him yet, but neither is fate.
Relationships: Arthur/Vivi/Lewis, Courage/Mystery
Comments: 10
Kudos: 25





	1. I’m Worried About the Future

_Let it take time. Everything takes its own time._

That was one of Muriel’s favorite quotes, especially whenever I’d get antsy for whatever pastry she had cooking in the oven. I always get impatient when sweets are involved.

A tear drips down my cheek and I sniffle at the memory. Usually I wouldn’t mind but now’s not a good time.

“Are you done with your moment of sentimentality, fox boy?”

Case in point. I sigh and fix a half-hearted glare on the tall red cat seated across the table from me. Yes, Katz is in our house -our kitchen in fact - and also yes, serving me (non-poisoned) tea. By now, you have to be wondering what the heck is even happening, and I don’t blame you. As for the ‘fox boy’ quip instead of the usual ‘boy’, there’s a simple but crazy reason for that.

Lemme start from the top.

My name is Courage, I live in the middle of Nowhere (literally a place called Nowhere – not the most creative name, I know), and I’m a little pink dog living by himself in an old wooden house because...my owners just passed away.

Eustace died from a heart attack a few months ago and Muriel died last month to a terminal illness.

Oh God, not more tears. Excuse me...there.

I admit that Eustace dying made me a little sad, not ‘collapse and break out in tears’ sad but still. We never had the best relationship going on - to say the _absolute_ least - but he and Muriel meant a lot to each other and it hurt seeing her so heartbroken from losing him.

Muriel was always a strong person, by comparison. Even through her sadness, she tried her best to smile for my sake, so I tried my best to smile back, right up to the end. _That_ left me ‘collapse and break out in tears’ sad. They buried her right next to Eustace in the back, facing east like I’d requested so they’d always get to see the sunrise every morning together.

After that, ugh.

The less said about those first couple of days afterwards the better. Just know that I was a complete wreck until Katz came knocking on my door one day. Turns out he’d somehow heard about what happened and...took care of me? As in cleaned around the house and made sure I eat and keep up my hygiene, which I have to admit I pretty much neglected before he showed up.

That’s been going on for three weeks now and my brain is _still_ processing it.

Clinking wakes me back up and I notice the plate now in front of me sporting a slice of chocolate cake with a hefty dollop of vanilla whipped cream on top. Without even sparing him a glance, I chow down without question. Is it bad that I’ve gotten semi-used to stuff like this?

A clear throat echoes from his end. “I believe it’s time we discussed your next move.”

Mid-bite, I look up at him in confusion. He closes his eyes for a moment before rolling them. “Oh, come now, dear boy. Don’t say you expected me to feed and pamper you for the rest of my life. What a waste of your abilities that would be.”

Waste of...? My shoulders hunch and my eyes narrow even more. Please don’t let this be one of those ‘join me’ cliches. Pretty sure I don’t have the patience or emotional strength for nonsense.

To my relief, Katz waves a dismissive hand. “I’m only stating that since this chapter of your life has closed, is it not time to think about the next? Just because _their_ stories have concluded shouldn’t mean yours must as well.”

Great, more thoughts I’d rather not think about. My entire frame sags more than before. Even after the time and space I’ve had to grieve (it would never feel enough), the thought of anything after my life here is a blank, a big scary blank. Maybe this thinking’s just a side effect of living in Nowhere for so long but where would I even go? What can I do with myself out there?

I stare down to avoid further eye contact. My cake piece is all gone by this point, so I fiddle with the fork, twirling its points in circles against the plate. As much as agreeing with one of my mortal enemies hurts, Katz is right: I have to do _something_ with myself. Too bad I’m plum out of ideas on what that something could be. The sound of the chair scrapping catches my hearing and I resist the urge to flinch at the sudden hand on my shoulder.

“Might I suggest seeking out someone who dabbles in the supernatural? A psychic perhaps?”

My ears perk. That...doesn’t sound like a bad idea actually – and I know someone who might be able to help.

**XXX**

Finding Shirley isn’t as hard I expect it to be. I wouldn’t be surprised if she _made_ herself easy to find.

In any case, I come across her wagon just on the edge of town. She’s playing her saxophone with an old top hat turned upside for any passerby to sling money into. I flick a quarter her way out of kindness and to also get her attention. She rounds off her playing with a hearty honk before looking my way.

“Long time, no see, dog. I have heard of what transpired with the stupid one and his wife. My condolences.” Even with her droll tone, the sincerity is clear, and I give a smile of appreciation in return. “However, it is clear you are not here to seek mere comfort, correct?”

At my nod, she heaves her sax into the case and hauls it back into her wagon. She gestures me to follow her inside and I comply. The inside is somehow larger than it looks from outside and all sorts of mystic knickknacks and décor line the walls, adding to the atmosphere. Shirley leads me to a table where we take seats across from each other, her trusty crystal ball in between.

For some reason, she doesn’t speak up at first. Just stares at me as if expecting something. She is.

“It is only you and I here. There is no need to hide yourself, dog,” she pauses and puts a finger to her cheek in thought, “well, ‘dog’ is rather relative in your case all things considered.”

She’s got me there. I sigh before closing my eyes and letting my... _true_ self out. My body grows and thickens in size while my limbs elongate, my facial structure lengthens and rearranges into that of a fox (sharp pointy ears and all), my teeth multiply and sharpen, and my stubby tail explodes into nine long flowing ones each tipped with black.

Yeah, remember Katz’s ‘fox boy’ comment? Now you know why.

Like a champ, Shirley isn’t fazed in the slightest. “Now then, I trust you are here to seek advice on your next steps in life. While I cannot guarantee a definite solution, perhaps a glimpse into your future will provide the incentive and direction you need.”

What else could I do besides nod? Shirley’s never steered me wrong before. I allow her to take both my now large paws in her small ones before she closes her eyes to focus. The crystal ball lying between us fills with violet smoke, energy like crackling from within like the tiniest lightning storm.

At last, Shirley speaks, her voice strong and resonant.

_As one world ends, and another takes its place_

_Linger not on what you can no more embrace_

_For however bare the future may seem_

_Take heed of the forgotten dream_

_And step back ‘til you can view_

_Your journey from then to now anew_

_For every path taken thus far_

_Will guide you like the brightest star_

Without warning, the tenderness in her voice darkens.

_But beware envy manifest_

_A most unwelcome guest_

_Back to taint the unprepared_

_And leave behind pain bared_

Her voice lightens only now with an edge of determination.

_Yet as memories come undone_

_May love be the defiant sun_

_To pierce the storm and pain_

_Until the truth shines again_

_And banish the clouds of hate_

_Enshrouding many a fate._

Just like that she opens her eyes at last.

And I’m shook. Deeply, horrifyingly shook. An unwelcome guest back? Who and back from what? That one line of ‘taint the unprepared’ rattles me the hardest as memories of Muriel’s awful possession by that mattress spirit fill my mind and my stomach clenches. Something like that will happen to someone else, won’t it? But to who? Muriel and Eustace are gone and all the people I could consider friends outside of Shirley are far out of reach.

All this not knowing leaves me feeling useless, like a stupid-stupid—

As if reading my mind, Shirley gives my paws an assuring squeeze. “I can tell you this much, dog. The faces I glimpsed are ones you have yet to meet. I would tell you more about them,” she smirks, “but I think I’ll let that be a surprise. Just know these individuals are ones you will come to care for greatly, just as you did the farmer and his wife” She shrugs. “Well, the wife anyway.”

O-Oh. I manage to smile back for a moment, thankful for the levity and assurance, only to look away with a frown. There were people out there who I hadn’t met yet who were in danger – maybe not presently but one day would be – and it was up to me to protect them? Story of my life right there. What would happen if I failed? What then?

Another gentle squeeze makes me face Shirley again.

“Do not let the uncertainties of the future weigh down your heart, friend. No matter what form you take or whatever enemies you may face, so long as you remain who you’ve always been at heart, nothing will stop you.”

My eyes start to glisten at these words. She was right: I’d pulled through plenty of bad situations before and saved the people I love every time. Who said this had to be any different? Wiping the tears away, I nod in thanks before standing up to take my leave.

“Oh and one more thing,” Shirley adds with a smirk, “be sure to invite me to the wedding.”

Uh. Okay. Not sure where that came from, but I smile and nod again anyway as I leave, making sure to revert back to my dog form before doing so.

Once back outside, the next question is...well, what now? Actually, I know the answer; have for a while now, was just too scared to face up to it. Like Katz said, my life’s not over yet and since there’s nothing worthwhile for me back at the house, there’s only one course of action left.

Tears come back to me but this time I force them down. There’ll be time to cry later. Right now, I need to be strong for myself.

For perhaps the last time, I make my way back home. Katz isn’t there to greet me, which is for the best. I still need a little more time to gather my thoughts. Plus, I don’t trust that guy not to slip any of his oversized spiders into my stuff.

Thankfully, I don’t have much in the way of possessions around the house to begin with ever since I’ve learned how to put stuff away through more...convenient means. That’s why I pick out of the bedroom closet a red and black backpack with white accents Muriel let me pick out during a shopping trip to toss in whatever knickknacks I can find – after a good shake-out to make sure it had nothing ooky inside of course.

Now just one more thing or _person_ I should say.

On the nightstand next to Muriel and Eustace’s bed is a sleek black laptop. Sitting down with it onto the floor and flipping it open, I press the power button and wait for the login screen to popup.

A familiar and accented voice springs out. “Ah, you’re back—and I was just starting to enjoy the peace and quiet.” I roll my eyes at Computer’s usual snark before typing in my username and password. Even after getting an upgrade from his old model to this laptop (with plenty of financial help from Katz who insisted I get ‘more in tune with the times’), he never lost his sense of sarcasm.

Instead of snipping back, I open a Word document and start typing out what I have in mind.

“Oh? You’re done moping then? About time. Still, _you_ all out on your own? Goodness me, aren’t we feeling bold? Or in good humor, I can’t tell which.”

There’s no helping my smirk. **_Who said I’ll be on my own? You’re coming too!_**

“Ugh, I feared you’d say something to that effect. Well, I suppose it beats listening to that overpompous feline drone on about how tedious babysitting you is – not that I can’t relate.”

If he had eyes, he no doubt would have rolled them at my questioning look. “Oh please, have you never heard of ‘opposites attract, like repels’, you twit? Sure, it’s a nice of change of pace to have someone around who can hold a conversation for once, yet there’s only so much villainous monologuing one can take before it starts wearing on one’s circuits. Besides,” he chuckles, “it _has_ been quite a while since I’ve had a taste of adventure.”

Yeah, not sure I’d calling possessing my owners in search of a body to do crazy stunts with an adventure. To each their own, I guess.

“I do admit to a hint of curiosity as to where we intend to go. After all, this will be your first time venturing out into the world for your own sake. Sure you’re up for this?”

For a moment, my heart hopes the answer to be ‘no’ because he’s right: I only ever went someplace else outside Nowhere either because Muriel or Eustace (mainly Muriel) wanted to or out of desperation to find a solution for whatever current life-threatening problem we were dealing with. Even though I won’t be alone for this next step in life, I’ll have to rely on myself more than ever now.

And that fact scares me. Am I truly ready for this?

_Oh you poor thing! Out here all alone? What courage ye have._

Courage.

Right. It’s okay if I’m scared. It never stopped me from doing what matters before, so why start now, right Muriel? Though the tears keep coming, I let them be this time and give Computer my definite answer.

**Ready as I’ll ever be.**

“How perfectly cliché,” he responded in a droll tone yet there’s a twinge of affection beneath, “I suppose the same could be said for me. Whenever you’re ready, twit.”

I murmur ‘thanks’ to him before switching him off and stuffing the laptop into my backpack along with the charger cable. That’s all. Nothing left to do now.

It’s time to go.

**XXX**

Ironically, Katz is there to see me off, standing on the porch as I step outside.

“I trust everything is in order?”

I nod my head yes, but part of me can’t help but feel a little sentimental. Despite our longtime stint as enemies, even the thought of leaving _him_ behind is getting to me. In a weird way, I’m sort of going to miss him.

“Do not fret, dear boy. Fate has a funny way about itself,” he responds as if in cue with my thoughts before casting his usual smug grin at me, “Rest assured that when our paths cross again, our game will more than surely begin anew.”

And there goes the feeling. Rolling my eyes, I take step out onto the sand and gaze one last time at the home I’m leaving behind. I look back at Katz who bobs his head back. He promised to look after the house in my absence out of ‘rival’s respect’, which I take it to mean he’s sincere about making sure this place isn’t dust and cobwebs whenever I (should I ever) come back.

No more strings attached.

With one last smile, I turn my back and start on my way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reference sheet for Kitsune Courage: https://www.weasyl.com/~professorrat/submissions/1972586/courage-and-mystery


	2. Are You For Real?

Ten minutes on the road and I’m already bored to tears.

On the bright side, I know Nowhere enough to recognize the nearby road would lead me into town, where I could hopefully find a map and figure out the schedule so I could catch the next bus to the nearest city.

Not so bright side, my meager savings won’t last me enough for the next few days, never mind the week. Unless I wanna take a chance and rough it out in the wilderness (no thank you), I’m going to need a job – and no idea who in the world is going to take a tiny pink dog with no leash. And that’s not touching what I’m going to do for sleeping once there’s nothing left for a motel.

**_GRRR!_ **

Oof. First things first. Get a bite to eat. Hopefully, one of the nearby restaurants has a cheap enough selection.

After another grueling hour of traveling by foot, a small diner comes into view. I recognize it as the family one Muriel, Eustace, and I would frequent a lot. Maybe they’d give me a special discount for that. Either way, my aching feet would welcome the rest.

I drag my feet through the door, the bell above ringing to signal a new customer’s arrival, and towards an empty bar stool. The moment I sit down and lay my backpack to the seat next to me, I’m greeted by one of the workers and, after perusing the menu up on the wall, I order a simple large cheeseburger and medium order of pink lemonade. There should be enough money on me to cover the costs.

Once my order’s set and the worker leaves with it to the kitchen, I pass the time by people-watching. Discreetly that is, I didn’t want to upset anybody and get myself kicked out. Not that there are many people around at this time of day. The most eye-catching is a group of rather young (and literally colorful) adults seated in a booth near the windows and steep in an animated conversation.

Well, the small blue-haired girl looks steep in it at least. The scrawny guy with spiky yellow and orange hair and taller buffer guy with a purple pompadour listen and occasionally chip in with a mix of amusement and skepticism.

Just then I notice a fourth somebody, hidden just out of view until the blonde guy leans back: a white dog about my size with similarly spiky hair accented by red sideburns, thick squarish black eyebrows, tiny glasses with gold lenses, and a red collar, the tag on it too far away for me to read what it said.

Does that dog have the same color scheme as my backpack? I look back and forth between the two and realize with an interested smile that yes, yes, they do. Huh, what a cool coincidence!

Unfortunately, my staring apparently goes on for _too_ long because the other dog notices me. I blush and tear my gaze away before their owners can notice, too. Best timing for my food and drink to show up; I waste no time chowing down to waive off suspicion.

It works for about two minutes.

I’ve polished off half my burger and a third of my drink before someone’s finger taps my shoulders, making me start and spin around with a nervous yelp. Old habits die hard, okay?

It’s the girl in blue and she’s giving me an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. My friends and I noticed you sitting here all by yourself, and got a little worried, I guess. Are you waiting for someone?”

Even though she’s a complete stranger, there’s something about her aura that reminds me of Muriel and makes me feel a little warm and safe around her in turn. Still, I’m a shy little guy who barely knows these guys; how am I supposed to respond?

Right then, I notice the other dog came with her and they’re giving me one of the most intense glares I’ve ever seen – and that’s saying a lot on account of all the people and things I’ve dealt with over the years. I shrink back, feeling as though those eyes are trying to pry me open to learn all my secrets.

The girl snaps the spell over both of us with a hissed ‘psst’ followed by a hushed, “Mystery, you’re freaking them out.” The white dog’s mouth gapes in shock at the rebuke and they look away with a sincerely regretful face as the girl turns back to me. “Sorry about that. Mystery’s real nice once he warms up to you; he’s just a little wary of strangers,” her eyes sidle to empty space in thought, “especially other dogs for some reason.”

At first, I believe her. God knows there’ve been plenty of times I got suspicious about new faces (most of the time for valid reasons), yet when I spare a second glance at Mystery, he’s looking at me again with the same intent only softer, kinder. Maybe he hadn’t _meant_ to glare, he just has that look about him.

Okay, now I just feel like a jerk.

“You wanna join us?”

The question makes me jump in my seat. Is she serious?

One glance at her earnest face says yes. Again, my usual unease rears its head at the possibility of things going awry for me. What if I end up boring these kids? What if my high-strung nature annoys them? Looking away, I happen to lock eyes with Mystery, and he meets my gaze with a coaxing smile.

Something about that expression touches me, like everything will turn out alright, and I find myself returning it much to my surprise.

Maybe a few minutes of social activity wouldn’t hurt.

I take it back a minute later. Social activity hurts. A lot.

My brain’s already on the fritz from trying to juggle between paying attention to everyone’s words and answering every question tossed my way without looking like an utter loon, which I’m probably already accomplishing on account of my nervous stuttering.

Really doesn’t help that Mystery keeps stealing looks at me in between bites of his cheeseburger—how he’s doing that with only his mouth is anyone’s guess. Again, they’re not intense but there’s still that piercing ‘there’s something about you and I intend to find out what’ that makes me squirm in my seat like a suspect in one of those cop dramas.

“So, Courage, this your first time heading out on your own?”

Funny, you would think the big guy – Lewis – would scare me the most, yet his kind face and calm voice put me at instant ease the moment the girl in blue – Vivi – introduced her friends to me. I hum a yes and his lips purse in empathy as he rubs the side of his neck. “Yeah, going out on your own is always pretty rough at first. Do you have a place to stay at least?”

 _Oh boy,_ my thoughts whimper as I fiddle a spoon between my fingers. So much for avoiding _that_ question. My hesitant silence and avoidance of eye contact answer enough judging by the understanding and pity on everyone else’s faces. Once again, I’ve left myself at wit’s end for a definite plan.

Shirley told me I needed to find whoever I needed to protect, but would it have killed her to be a little more specific?

“I mean if you’re planning to travel around that’s cool! It just might be helpful to have some place to go back to.” Lewis crosses his arms on the table and leans forward on them. “For consistency’s sake if nothing else. Plus, no offense but you don’t seem like you have much on in terms of cash.”

Ouch. He’s got me there but ouch. The reminder of my money problem makes me shrink in my seat even more.

“What about my uncle?”

The meek suggestion catches me by surprise, and I look up. That came from Arthur, the guy with spiky orange hair, who barely made a peep compared to his friends. He kind of reminds me of me, appropriate when he curls into his own seat at the attention (not at much as me since these _are_ his friends but still).

He takes in a deep breath to muster his courage (heh) and sits up straight as he turns to Lewis.

“Well, your family has got a rule against having pets, what with them running a restaurant and all,” then gestured a hand to Vivi, “and since Mystery’s not used to having another dog around, I’m the safest bet. Besides, he could help around the workshop until he finds something better.” He turns to me for approval. “Right?”

Huh, this guy has a reasonable side to him. I like that, especially since his suggestion sounds doable. I nod and smile, more than willing to take him up on that offer. Vivi, Lewis, and Mystery share a counseling look and nod to Arthur as well, who smiles back.

At least the issue of money and shelter won’t be a problem anymore.

**XXX**

“No.”

As usual, wishful thinking proves my downfall.

“Uncle Lance, _please_?” Arthur begs as he holds his hands up placatingly and I stand behind his legs, intimidated by the other man before us. “He’s got nowhere else to go!”

After finishing our meal, the Mystery Skulls crew (odd name) let me hop aboard their van and we drove out of Nowhere towards their hometown. While I hadn’t kept consistent watch on the clock, I could tell the trip took more than an hour, meaning we arrived sometime in the early evening. The gang agreed to drop me and Arthur off first so the two of us would have time to catch his uncle and convince him before he needed sleep.

So far, we were not having much luck on the latter.

Despite being rounder and much shorter in physique than his nephew, there’s no mistaking the authority the bearded man with similar hair possesses in this house/auto shop as he crosses his thick hairy arms. “I’m not housing somebody who looks like they came straight out a preschool cartoon, Artie.”

I look down at myself and shuffle my feet with a self-conscious frown. My appearance isn’t _that_ goofy, right?

“C’mon, a walking talking _pink_ dog...? I have a hard enough time believing half the crazy stuff you kids hunt around, but at least I have enough suspension of disbelief on my end and lack of evidence on yours to write it off.” Lance points to me. “Not so much this.”

 _Hunt around?_ My brows furrow at that detail. _Hunt around what?_

I make a mental note to ask Arthur later.

Speaking of whom, he cocks his head with a dry half-smile. “Really? Even after the news about the duck making off with half a billion in bank money?”

“A wacko Frenchman in a duck suit and probably a Napoleon complex.”

“The crazy barber in Sicily?”

“Hey, at least that guy _looks_ human!”

“The tall walking talking red _cat_ sighted after a murder in that one city near Nowhere where victims were found with spider bites?”

Wow, what? I have to blink up at that last one. Katz did not waste time after I left, did he? I’m as impressed as I am horrified.

Back to matters, Lance for once comes up short (no pun intended) for a comeback, pursing his lips and grumbling stubbornly. Looks like he’ll need a little more budging.

Seeing this too, Arthur holds his hands up again. “OK, how about this? Whenever we’re out in public, he acts like a regular dog: all fours at all times, only dog sounds.” Before Lance opens his mouth to retort, his nephew beats him to the punch. “ _And_ during work hours, he dresses up like a person. Maybe there’s even some stuff you’ve got lying around in his size!”

For a long tense moment, me and Arthur are standing straight and tense, waiting for Lance’s answer like a verdict at a court trial. My heart’s beating a thousand miles a second while my brain runs through every worse-case scenario at once. Please say something before I implode, Lance, _please._

To my relief, he sighs at last. “Fine,” he waves a finger at me, “but I don’t wanna hear any complaints about my stuff looking baggy on you, got it?”

Okay never mind, thank you wishful thinking. I bow my head in both understanding and gratitude. Arthur tosses me a small yet triumphant smile and even presents his right hand to give me a low-five. Oh why not, I figure. I return both the smile and five.

Two mundane problems down, a much larger and more mysterious one to go.

Here’s just hoping I can pull my new lifestyle off.

**XXX**

_Red eyes stare down at me, sharp and glowing._

_Even sharper teeth gleam in a sinister smile._

_So high above amongst the slender branches, that narrow face hovers like a cruel moon._

_In words that should not make sense yet should, a dark silky voice speaks._

**_Mata o aidekite ureshii desu._ ** _(I’m glad to see you again.)_

_Without warning, the dark shape lands down before me, uncomfortably close._

**_Konkai wa watashi ni anata no hontō no tsuyosa o shimeshite, Sakura._ ** _(This time show me your true strength, Cherry Bloom.)_

_Before I can recover enough to speak, Icy white and blue flashes before my eyes, cutting the shadow from view._

_But not before something strikes me clean in the stomach._

**XXX**

Jerking awake, I tumble off the couch and headfirst onto the floor. Ow.

Stupid dream. Same one as before, ever since Muriel passed in fact, except it’s been getting more frequent lately.

No idea why.

Before I can right myself back up, the living room lights flicker on, forcing me to shield my eyes with the blanket.

“Courage?” I peek behind my cover to notice Arthur kneeling before me with a look of confused concern. “What happened? You okay?”

Oh dear. I manage to right myself up and nod in haste. I don’t want Arthur to lose sleep over me, especially after he went out of his way to convince his uncle to allow me living space here.

 _Wait,_ I think as I take a closer look at his face, _are those bags under his eyes?_ How much sleep has this boy had?

“The hell’s going on in here?”

Arthur and I turn at the older voice grumbling from behind us and notice his uncle Lance standing there in his nightshirt, looking none too pleased at being awoken at such an ungodly hour. He takes in the sight of us on the floor, narrows his eyes suspiciously, and points an authoritative finger at Arthur.

“Bed. Now.” Then that finger shifts to me. “You. Go with him and make sure he stays there.”

Neither me nor Arthur have the energy or nerve to argue so we comply and head to the boy’s room. It’s as messy as you expect for a young adult, let alone one as frazzled as Arthur. On the bright side, he keeps his floor clear save for a few errant socks. Posters of various sci-fi movies line the wall, underlined by shelves containing books and various mechanical trinkets.

In one corner on a table there’s a glass cage. Nearing it and rearing up, I see a tiny hamster with wheels for hind legs, snoozing away. It takes all my willpower not to squee at their cuteness.

Arthur comes to my side and kneels down, smiling at the hamster. “That’s Galahad. He helps me around with tinkering from time to time.” At my skeptical gaze, he shrugs. “Hey, he does a good enough job...although he’s also got a habit of trying to fix stuff on his own so don’t be surprised if you find appliances coming apart all of a sudden.”

Good to know.

Arthur points to Galahad, gesturing to the hamster’s back half. “See those wheels?” I nod. “He had some condition that left his back legs paralyzed, so I fitted him with those so he could move anyway.”

Really? Wow, this kid had some serious brains, more than me for sure. The highest form of technology I could handle was Computer. Speaking of whom, I better check in with him first thing in the morning so I can catch him up to speed on our new living arrangement.

A yawn escapes me. For now, sleep.

As he holds back one of his own, Arthur reluctantly drags himself into bed and hoists the covers over himself. Just as he’s about to lay down, , the blonde catches me staring and chuckles though not unkindly. “C’mon, you’re a dog. What, did your owners need you to have an invite?”

The joke takes me off guard, but it helps take the edge off. I smile and he smiles back before another yawn escapes me.

“No, we all shared the same bed, so it was a lot bigger than this.”

I say no more, unsure whether to add anything else but Arthur catches on. He shifts his legs and pats a hand atop the adjacent space, inviting.

“Hey Arthur?”

“Hmm?”

“Lance said something about you and your friends ‘chasing crazy stuff’. What’d he mean by that?”

In a less groggy state, the way his eyes kept shifting everywhere but mine would have set me on edge. As it were, my drifting mind wrote it off as the boy being meek as usual.

“Um...I think it’s best we get together with the others first before I tell ya. You’ll get a better idea that way. How about this weekend?”

 _Sounds good_ , my brain decides right as it starts to shut off. I ball up against Arthur’s legs and wander into sleep as he turns on his side to do the same.

Nothing could prepare me for what lay ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely hope the Japanese I’m using here is accurate for the most part. I had to run it through several translators until I was confident that I got the sentences grammatically correct. 
> 
> If anyone who speaks the language fluently could help, I’d be most appreciated.


End file.
